Here’s a novel idea: All your favorite authors and celebrities coming together to celebrate compelling stories and pop culture. Sounds appealing, right? The annual BookCon festival is your ticket there. Held June 3 and June 4, at NYC’s Javits Center, the event hosts meet and greets, Q&As, special screenings and autograph sessions. Here, Us Weekly rounds up the most exciting attractions.
Kevin Inspires
To celebrate the release of his memoir, I Can’t Make This Up, Kevin Hart — you know, comedian, actor, all around superstar — will sit down with Charlamagne Tha God look back on the ups and downs of his life, and how he turned it all into his own success story. Afterwards, he’ll meet with fans and pose for photos. Yes, you can take a picture with Kevin Hart. And post it on Instagram. And make your followers very jealous. Charlamagne will also be on site to sign copies of his bestselling memoir, Black Privilege.
When: Sunday, June 4 at 4 p.m. ET
Matt Tackles Old Hollywood
Alongside executive producers Billy Ray (remember The Hunger Games?) and Christopher Keyser (think: Party of Five), Matt Bomer will discuss bringing F. Scott Fitzgerald’s unfinished final manuscript to TV screens. Following a young film exec, the Amazon Prime’s drama The Last Tycoon explores the glamour and intrigue of Hollywood in the 1930s.
When: Sunday, June 4 at 4:15 p.m. ET
The Handmaid’s Tale Gets A Modern Twist
Originally written in 1985, Margaret Atwood‘s dystopian novel examines an overthrown government, submissive women and the means to gain control. Today, the powerful tale has everyone talking once again thanks to the Hulu series, executive produced by Bruce Miller. Together, Atwood and Miller will converse about the adaption and how the story relates to society.
When: Saturday, June 3 at 4:15 p.m. ET
Bill Nye is Still the Guy
Elementary school and those rollaway television sets may be history, but Bill Nye remains the go-to science expert. And these days, he’s offering new adventures and experiments in his kids’ fiction series, Jack and the Geniuses. With co-author Greg Mone, Nye will take the stage to talk about his novels, written for middle-grade readers. Bonus: He’ll sign copies!
When: Sunday, June 4 at 11 a.m. ET
Bestselling Blockbusters Takeover
Diary of a Wimpy Kid. A Series of Unfortunate Events. Magic Tree House. The Crossover. Together, these children’s series have sold more than 400 million copies … and each have landed on the big screen. Now, the brilliant imaginations behind the stories — authors Jeff Kinney, Lemony Snicket, Kwame Alexander and Mary Pope Osborne respectively — gather together to discuss their success, struggles and upcoming projects.
When: Saturday, June 3 at 12:45 p.m. ET
Chad Finds Love
Following an American solider in Rio de Janerio, Chad Michael Murray‘s compelling tale, American Drifter, weaves together romance and murder. During an interview with his co-author Heather Graham, the One Tree Hill actor will explain why the novel is not only compelling but also relatable.
When: Saturday, June 3 at 12:45 p.m. ET
BookCon is held at NYC’s Javits Center Saturday June 3 and Sunday June 4. For more information, head over to thebookcon.com.
